Vloerkleed met een kleurig art déco-patroon binnen een effen grijsgroene rand c. 1920

Editor: Here we have "Vloerkleed met een kleurig art deco-patroon binnen een effen grijsgroene rand", a carpet with a colorful art deco pattern in a plain grey-green border, created around 1920 by Jaap Gidding. It’s striking, almost dizzying, in its symmetry and the clash of those bold colours against the muted border. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: This carpet operates within the Pattern and Decoration movement, which challenged the established hierarchies of art by embracing crafts, textiles, and so-called "feminine" aesthetics. Its very existence is a statement. It forces us to consider: Who decides what is ‘high’ art and what is merely ‘decorative’? Editor: That’s a really interesting point. I hadn't considered the political statement inherent in choosing this medium. Curator: Exactly! And the Art Deco style itself, while often associated with luxury, was also about democratizing design, bringing modern aesthetics to everyday objects. This carpet was meant to be lived upon, walked upon - art in constant dialogue with daily life. How might its patterns reflect social anxieties and aspirations of the interwar period? Editor: The repetition and bold colors feel almost defiant, a reaction against the austerity of the time, maybe? Almost like claiming space and joy. Curator: Precisely! It's a vibrant assertion of self and creativity. It moves beyond pure aesthetics, and into considerations of how craft can reclaim agency. The patterns, however abstract, might allude to cultural symbols being reinterpreted in a modernising world. Editor: That really broadens my perspective. I was just seeing a nice rug! Curator: And now you see a silent manifesto, woven with intention and challenging assumptions about art and value. Editor: Thank you. I never would have looked at this textile with such historical context. I’ll have to rethink my definition of art itself now!